Vision Australia is celebrating another advocacy success with the Queensland Government’s announcement of the introduction of an upgraded permanent go access Vision Impairment Travel Pass (Pass).
With the technology being successfully used in Victoria, Vision Australia approached the Queensland Government in 2013 to adopt the smartcard functionality. Following extensive negotiations with stakeholders, including commuters who are blind or have low vision, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Rail, and other organisations from the blindness and low vision sector, a six-month trial of the Pass began in late 2014.
Karen Knight, General Manager Queensland said that being able to control when a person can enter or exit a train station without assistance, supports the blindness and low vision community to retain their independence and encourage greater public transport use.
“Vision Australia clients who have been involved in the trial have been very positive about the Pass. We are very pleased that the government has announced the roll out of the Pass for all members of our community,” Karen confirmed.
Vision Australia recently won the Brisbane excellence in accessible transport category of Spinal Injuries Australia’s Inclusive Community Champions Awards, for their role in the Pass trial.The Department of Transport and Main Roads will be writing to existing VITP holders to provide more information about the new product and advice on the process to request a go access VITP.
Read the announcement from the Queensland Government on the Queensland Government website here.